Description

Although this free-spirited Ardche grower can trace its roots as far back to 1670, the Domaine as we know it began to make a name for its wines somewhat more recently. Under the name Caves des Deux Jean-Pierre, Mas de Libian took root when Jean-Pierre Thibon took over management of the farm from his parents and built the original wine making cellar in 1970. Some years later, in 1995, Jean-Pierre was joined by his daughter Hlne Thibon and her husband Alain Macagno, creating the ‘Mas de Libian’. A decade later, Catherine Thibon, Hlne’s sister, began work in the vineyards and today Hlne (who acts as the face of the Domaine), Catherine, and Alain are joined by the newest generation, Hlne’s son Aurlien. Together the family tends twenty-five hectares of mature vines (and 8 hectares of ‘nourishing ” land planted with olive trees, grains, hay, a vegetable garden and flower garden, as well as a few beehives).We often talk about the Ctes-du-Rhne as though it was one homogenous region. In reality it is a vast area of land the size of a small country that encompasses many different climates, altitudes and soil types. Mas de Libian is located in Saint Marcel d’Ardche on the hilly western slopes of the Rhne, at the tip of the visually stunning gorge of the Ardche. The vineyards grow high on top of an ancient river terrace that rises steeply behind the Domaine. Here the mature goblet vines of Grenache and Mourvdre et al. bathe in the Rhne sunlight while simultaneously enjoying excellent drainage and root penetration. The vineyards’ altitude provides cool evenings, which when coupled with the rocky limestone terroir and the bracing Mistral guarantees their wines vibrancy and freshness, traits for which this bohemian Domaine is highly respected. The breathtaking views of the Trois Becs, Mont Ventoux and the Dentelles de Montmirail only add further luster to this unique and magical place.The model at Mas de Libian is the farm as a self-sustaining environment instead of a production unit. It’s an ideal that resonates though the wines, which ooze all the natural wealth and charm of this great region. The vines are cultivated and hand harvested, the soils hoed by hand in the spring and Catherine Thibon ploughs roughly one third of the vineyards’ clay-limestone terroir with the help of Nestor and Babmi, the estates two Franche-Comt workhorses. The vineyards classified as Cte-du-Rhne Villages are composed of large round river rocks (galets rouls) and red clay and as such are worked by tractor.Hlne takes little credit for her farms’ organic management, which she says has been practiced here for generations. A continuation of this philosophy and an important milestone for the Domaine was becoming certified biodynamic (Demeter) in 2005. No chemicals are used and even in generous vintages very low yields are the norm. As the Mas de Libian biotope has come to offer an incredibly healthy environment for grape growing, Hlne has little recourse for sulphur, which is often not used at all during the winemaking process.

– Importer Note